egbert



W; H, EGBERT.

No. 494,712. mamaApr. 4,1893.

(No Model.) -2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Y W. H. EGBERT.

HEARSE.

Patented Apr. 4

LA g.

7mm AL, Byv U1/s MmQT/'ZZHNEYS.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM I-I. EGBERT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN OR TO THE TURNBULL dtCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HEARSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 494,712, dated April4, 1893. Application filed'December 28, 1892. Serial No. 456,555. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may oon/cern,.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM H. EGBERT, of Newark, in the county of Essexand State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHearses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that particular shape, form or design of hearsesin Which there are columns outside of the main body of the hearse, andwhich appear to support the roof, or top of the hearse; and the objectof my invention is to render it possible to change the design of thehearse at will, with very little trouble and expense.

My invention consists in making these columns separable from the body ofthe hearse, and with means of attachment to the said body of the hearse,and being detachable therefrom, so that they may be secured in anydesired position on the outside of the bodyof the hearse, and so thatany particular form or shape of column may be substituted for othershaving a different form. It will be apparent that, by having columns ofdifferent designs, and by changing the relative position of the columnsto each other, and to the body of the hearse, the design and appearanceof a hearse can be very easily changed and at slight expense, for theowner can either provide himself with a number of columns of differentdesign, or can have them changed by the manufacturer of the hearse.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters ofreference indicate similar parts throughout the several views, Figure lis a perspective view of a hearse, showing four of the eight columnswhich constitute the subject of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a rear view ofthe body of the hearse, showing two of the columns standing out inrelief therefrom. Fig.3 is asectional view of acorner of thehearse-body, and of a detached column,\vith means forsecuring the samein position. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detached column. Figs. 5and 6 illustrate another means of securing a different column in place.

A, is the body of the hearse, and O O are the columns.

Referring to Fig. 4, I have shown one form of my detachable columns inwhich the column stands out at a little distance from the body of thehearse, andis held in position by fastenings upon the platform uponwhich the body of the hearse rests, and upon the roof of the ,hearse.One form of the fastening that may be used is illustrated in Fig. 3,which represents a sectional view of a box d, having a cover, e; asimilar box is attached to the roof of the hearse. The cover of this boxmay be kept closed by a spring, or in any other desired manner. When itis desired to change the columns, the covers of these boxes at the topand bottom of the column are opened, the column taken out and a new onesubstituted in its place; the covers of the boxes being then closed,they present the appearance of forming the capital and base of thecolumn respectively.

Referring to Figs; 5 and 6, F, Fig. 6, shows a hollow base, M, securedto the outside of the platform or floor of the hearse, into which thebottom of the column extends, and G, Fig. 5, shows a sectional view of alug secured to the body of the hearse just underor near its roof, andover which the head,L, of the column Iits, and to which it is secured bythe nutand bolt, N Fig. 5.

It is obvious that instead of the hollow base M, a duplicate lug may beemployed, at the bottom of the column, as at the top. I do not, however,limit myself to any particular form of fastening, as many dilerent formscan be devised, nor do I limit myself to columns which stand out at adistance from the body of the hearse for my invention is applicable tocolumns which abut against the body of the hearse.

What I claim is- 1. A hearse provided with means whereby columns can bedetachably fastened on the outside of the body of the hearse,substantially as shown and described.

2. rlhe combination of a hearse and one or more detachable columns onthe outside of the body of the hearse.

3. An ornamental column for hearses provided with means for securing itto and detaching it from the hearse, substantially as described.

WILLIAM H. EGBERT. Witnesses:

JAMES J. CosGRovE, WM. TALLMAN.

